Friction-clutch mechanism



May 22, 1923. 4 1,456,320

M. MCCANN FRICTION CLUTCH MECHANISM k Filed July 1, 1922 41 --1 Hz 3* Patented May 22, 1923.

UNITE ll' MICHAEL MoGANN,-OF GLENIVIORRIS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR: TO FREDERICK OSANN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FRICTION-CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Application filed July 1,

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL MGGANN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Glenmorris, L. 1., in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutch Mechanism, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

Hy invention relates to friction clutch mechanism and is especially designed for use in connection with a sewing machine and as a means of transferring motion from a driving shaft to a cam shaft for which a step by step movement is required, although, obviously, my invention is capable of useful application with other types of machine.

The nature of my improvements will be best understood as described in connection with the drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view showing certain parts of the mechanism of a button hole sewing machine, including the clutch mechanism which forms the subject matter of my present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation on the section line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3, an elevation on the section line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking toward the left.

Figure 4 is a detached view of the disc or annulus forming one element of my improved clutch.

Figure 5 is a face view of the lever by which the clutch is actuated, showing also in connection with the strong spring abutment provided on the lever, the co-acting abutment on the disc.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the lever shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a face view of the second lever which I use in connection with my clutch mechanism, and

Figure 8 is an edge view of the lever shown in Fig. 7

A indicates the case or housing of the sewing machine. B, the main driving shaft to which is secured the disc indicated at C, on 50 the flat face of which disc is secured the disc D, the means employed for securing the discs together being a pivot pin, indicated at E, and a clamping bolt, indicated at E working through a slot E in the disc D. 55 From the face of the discD projects the ec- 1922. Serial No. 572,136.

centric indicated at F and through the eccentric and the disc is formed a slot, indicated at F, through which passes the shaft B and which permits the disc and eccentric to be shifted on the pivot attachment E. The above described mechanism which in my button hole sewing machine I use to actuate the friction clutch, to be described, forms the subject matter of my pending application filed September 23, 1919, Serial No. 325,710. H is the cam shaft to which, as shown, is secured the cam, indicated at H, and at each end of this cam I form an annular projecting rim indicated at H These rims form an essential part of my invention but obviously need not necessarily be formed on a cam such as H. H is a slotted lever arm pivoted at H and reciprocated by the cam H by means of which and mechanism, not shown, motion is imparted in my sewing machine to a feed plate. In each rim H is fitted a flat disc or annulus indicated'at I in Fig. 4, a portion of the periphery of this disc being made up of a spring tongue I secured to the disc at one end and beneath the free end of this spring tongue I form a recess, as indicated at 1 through which the actuating finger of the lever, to be described, extends beneath the free end of the spring tongue. The disc is also provided with an abutment projection, as indicated at 1 for reasons which will be hereafter explained. J is a lever, recessed as indicated at J, so as to pass over the shaft H and move freely to the extent required without contacting with the shaft. At the end of this lever is formed a finger J 2 adapted to fit in the recess 1 of the disc I and when turned or twisted in this recess the finger will wedge the spring tongue outward. The free end of the lever J is connected to the eccentric rod G to which motion is imparted by the eccentric F, as shown. At K I have indicated a recess or socket formed in the lever J in which is situated a coil spring and spring actuated rod indicated at K forming an elastic abutment adapted to come in contact with the projection I on the face of the disc when the lever is moved in one direction. The disc I on the right hand side of the camH, as shown in Fig. 4, is provided with a generally similar lever shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and indicated by the symbol j. This lever has a shaft clearing recess y" and the finger 7' allsimilar to those of the lever J, andis,

also provided with the spring actuated abutment indicated at K. The free end of the lever 7', however, is slotted. as indicated at i to receive a pivoted latch finger indicated at 7' normally pressed out, as by a spring indicated at The free end of the lever j and its latch finger 7' extends through a vertical slot in the frame of the machine shown at L, Fig. 3, and is normally held-in fixed position by the engagement of the latch finger j with a latching notch L in the slot L.

ther parts indicated in the drawing, but having no immediate relationship to my present invention. are the longitudinally movable stop shaft M actuated in one direction by a bell crank lever, indicated at M, and having, as shown. an arm M also having attached to it a thread cutter M At N I indicate a rock shaft which, through an upwardly extending lever h, imparts reciprocating longitudinal motion to the shaft N carrying loopers, indicated at N the loopers being oscillated through a crank arm N and connecting mechanism, indicated at N and N In normal operation the lever 7' has its free end latched in the notch L while reciprocating motion is given to the free end of the lever J through the eccentric connection described. The motion of the free end of the lever J toward the right turns the finger J in the notch I of the disc I and presses the spring tongue I out against the periphery of the annular rim in which the disc fits. This right hand motion of the free end of the lever first clamps the disc in the rim, then rotates the rim and the connected shaft H in its forward or feeding motion.

When the free end of lever J is moved toward the left the abutment K which is preferably, but not necessarily elastic, contacts with abutment I with the result that the disc I turns freely backward with lever J in the rim H When the elastic construction is used it will be obvious that the first moment of movement of lever J will compress the elastic element slightly thus freeing the spring tongue I from the wedging force of finger J after which and for the balance of this stroke. the disc I will move freely with lever J tothe end of its movement. Where the elastic element is absent it is apparent that when lever .T is making its forward, or feeding movement with its finger J pressing the spring tongue I out against and locking it by friction to the rim H there must be a space between the abutments K and I sufficient to relieve the pres sure of finger J on spring tongue I in order to unlock the spring tongue from the rim when the backward or idle movement starts. Should this space, by reason of improper fitting, adjustment or wear, become too large it would endanger the regular camming moment of finger J 2 on spring tongue I resulting in irregular spacing of the movements of the rim H and its shaft. Where the elastic abutment used the finger J is .kept always snug against the spring tongue I pressing the latter against the rim with a pressure equal to the strength of the elastic element, eliminating all looseness between these parts during the idle stroke of lever J, thereby insuring a firm locking grip on the rim the moment the movement of lever J is reversed from left to right. While the lever J is being swung to the right and left on its feeding and idle movements, the lever with its free end held stationary, is alternately holding and releasing the rim; holding against the friction caused by the pressure of the elastic element, through the finger J and spring tongue I of lever .l'. during its backward or idle movement. and releasing while lever J is making its forward or feeding movement. Lever J and itsparts, might properly be called the feeding clutch, and lever j,an'd its parts, a retaining clutch. The only necessary difference in the construction and dimensions of these two clutches being in the free end of the levers J and 7', lever J being adapted for movement and lever 7', to be held stationary. however, if the free end of lever J were held stationary and that of lever j moved back and forth the same alternate movements would be imparted to the rim and its connected shaft as with the present construction except the direction of rotation would be reversed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A friction clutch mechanism compris-- ing in combination an annular rim, a disc fitting in said annular rim and having an elastic peripheral tongue attached to it at one end and a recess formed under the free end of the tongue and an actuating lever having, a finger fitting in the angular recess beneath the tongue, and by turning which the tongue is wedged out against the rim.

2. A friction clutch mechanism comprising in combination an annular rim, a disc fitting in said. annular rim and having an elastic peripheral tongue attached to it at one end and a recess formed under the free end of the tongue, an actuating lever having a finger fitting in the angular recess beneath the tongue. and by turning which the tongue is wedged out against the rim, and abutting members on the disc and lever whereby a movement of the lever in one direction turns the disc without wedging out its tongue.

3. A friction clutch mechanism co1nprising two annular rims secured to a shaft. 3. disc fitting in each rim said discs having elastic tongues attached to them at one end and finger receiving recesses formed under the free ends of the tongues levers having fingers which extend into the disc recesses and so formed that when turned in one direction they will cam out the tongues against the rims, and abutments formed on the disc and coacting levers whereby the turning of the levers in one direction will turn the discs without Wedging out the tongues, the tongues and abutments being so disposed that the operation of either lever will turn the shaft in the same direction.

4. A friction clutch mechanism comprising two annular rims secured to a shaft, a disc fitting in each rim, said discs having elastic tongues attached to them at one end and finger receiving recesses formed under the free ends of the tongues, levers having fingers which extend into the disc recesses and so formed that when turned in one direction they will cam out the tongues against the rims, abutments formed on the disc and coacting levers whereby the turning of the levers in one direction will turn the discs without wedging out the tongues, the tongues and abutments being so disposed that the operation'of either lever will turn the shaft in the same direction, means for reciprocating the free end of one lever so as to impart a step by step movement to the shaft, and means for holding the free end of the other lever in fixed position.

5. A friction clutch mechanism comprising two annular rims secured to a shaft, a disc fitting in each rim, said discs having elastic tongues attached to them at one end and finger receiving recesses formed under the free ends of the tongues, levers having fingers which extend into the disc recesses and so formed that when turned in one direction they will cam out the tongues against the rims, abutments formed on the disc and coacting levers whereby the turning of the levers in one direction will turn the discs without wedging out the tongues, the I shaft and. latching means for normally holda ing the free end of the other lever in fixed position, by disengaging which latching means the lever can be worked'by hand.

MICHAEL MoC'ANN. 

